powers



(No Model.)

INVENTOR:

QQ/Zw I WIT Ess A.

ATTORNEYS.

(No Model.)

E. B. POWERS.

BLOW HPB.

No. 395,453. Patented Jan. l, 1889.

. Q L? INVENTOR: BY M WITNESSES ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERSy Phu lllnrrnn Sterns artnr erica,

a BARTON, or SAME PLAGE etowmrlpe.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 395,453, dated January 1, 1889.

Application filed March 6, 1888. Serial No. 266,359. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD B. PownRs, of Taunton, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Blow-Pipes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improvement in that class of blow-pipe apparatus used by jewelers, tinsmiths, and certain other metal-workers, in which a gas-jet and air-blast are employed to produce the flame required for soldering or brazing.

To aid in defining the scope oi' my invention I will brietly indicate the state of the art. Air and gas blowpipes properhave long been used. and the tubes or pipes conveying the air and gas have been. provided with one valve each, operated by hand. In actual operation different kinds of work require a different-sized iiame, which is obtained by opening or closing more or less the valves above referred to; but a workman having adjusted the lame to the size wanted for a given job has then no occasion to change the position of these valves, except when he lays aside his blow-pipe to adjust the piece he is working upon, or when he lays it aside by reason of his attention being called away from his work. In such cases, unless he takes the trouble to turn off the. gas to the least iiow necessary to keep the light :E rom going out, and also turns the air-valve to reduce the current ot' air in order to prevent the blowing out ol' thereduced ilame, a great loss of gas is involved, and when he resumes work there is loss from the trouble to again adjust these hand-valves. As an improvement Ait has also been proposed to employ an automatic cut-oit for the gas and air pipes, and the same has been embodied in a valve attachment for the blowpipe proper, the valve having a spring-actuated lever-arm projectin from its side, and which, when the blow-pipe is placed in a certain position on a iixed rest or support specially adapted for the purpose, caused to close the valve and thus check the air and gas currents. Upon again taking up the blow-pipe for use the valve opens automatically, and thus the said currents are reestablished.

This improvement is open to the objections that the lever-arm and spring attached to the side of the blow-pipe are serious hinderances to deft and convenient manipulation of the implement, and especial care is required in placing the blow-pipe in its support and adj usting it exactly in the position necessary to close the valve.

In my apparatus I employ the ordinary blow-pipe and provide air ant gas cut-off valves, which are operated by pressing upon a spring-supported rod, the head oi' the latter being located in such proximity and relation to the stand or support 'for the blow-pipe that it may be easily reached by the hand oi' the Aoperator when taking up the blmv-pipe or laying it down.

The invention likewise includes improvement in the air-valveaiul its connection with the gas-valve and operati iig-rod, and other features hereinafter described and, claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective Aview oi the apparatus when not in use, the work-bench being in section; Fig. 2, a vertical longitudinal section of the valves in their closed position. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the apparatus. Fig. i is a vertical section of the valves when open. Fig. 5 is a vertical section on line c :c of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a perspective view oi the val relever mechanism in the position the sam e (weupies when the valves are closelll.

I will lirst indicate the main paris ot' the invention in the position they occupy when not in use, as in Fig. l.

The blow-,pipe A proper is shown supported above the work-bench ,l in horizontal position. by a fixed vertical stand, (l, and hook l), which are con st-ructed of metal rods or barsthat is to say, the blow-pipe is fulcruined as a lever in the bent upper end ot' the stand C, and its smaller end bears upward against the hook D, owing to the weight of the lever itselt' and the tlexibletubes l 2 pendent from it. It has the usual construction-that is to say, it consists of two metal tubes, an exterior gas-tube, 3, and .interior air-tube, Ll. Flexi ble air and gas conduct-ing tubes l and 2 connect the blow-pipe with the cut-oft' valves E and F beneath the bench B, and other suitable tubes, l 2, lead therefrom to air and gas supplying sources.

It new remains to describe the lvalves and valve-operatin g mechanism.

The air valve or cock is arranged above the gas-valve, both being in horizontal position and respectively provided with slotted leverarms e f. The latter are connected by a link, fi, so that both valves are operated together vfor admitting` or cutting ott' air and gas. rFhe means for operatin the valves are as vtollows: A vertical tubular stz'nidard, (i, is tixed on the work-bench l (see Figs. l, El, 5, and o) beside and at the left ot the stand C and justin front ot its bent arm c. A rod, ll, works vertically in this standard, and its lower end is connected by a pivoted link,/', with the arm j' et' the gas-valve F. A collar, 7.', Fig. 5, is lixed on the rod ll within the standard G, and a spiral spring, l, encircles the portion ot' the rod between it and the base ol' the standard. The upward pressure of the spring l against this collar holds the valve-arms ef' in horizontal position and the valves open. By pressing on the enlarged head l ot' the rod ll the spring l compressed and the parts assume the position shown in Figs. l, 2, and (i, the air being cut oft from blow-pipe A and so turned as to escape through outlet d, (shown in Fig. 2, and the gas being nearly cut ott. To hold or lock the rod down in this position, l employ collar K, secured ad justably on its upper portion, and a plate-spring, L, atlixed to the standard G longitudinally and having its upper l'ree portion bent inward at a point, m, just below its extremity, which 'is bent outward. The shoulder which is thus formed t'ullls the of- 'lice ot' a catch by engaging with the upper edge of the collar K, as shown in Fig. l. lt will be seen that the valve-rod ll is located close to the stand C, its head being in l'ront of the lateral bend ot the latter.

One practical advantage obtained 'by the before-described `local relation ot,- the supportstandard (l to the tubular standard (i is that it protects the spring L from being struck by the blow-pipe in handling the latter. Another advantage is that as the operator takes the blow-pipe from its rest (l with either hand he strikes the projecting extremity ot' the spring L with one ol the lingers ol' the same hand, preferably the third, thus disengaging the catch nl. from collar K and allowing' the reaction of the spring l to raise the rod ll and valve-arms e f to the position shown. in. Fig. 3, which opens valves, as already stated. Again, in replacing the blow-pipe on its rest the thumb of the operators hand comes directly over the head l ot' the valve-rod ll, and as the grasp on the blow-pipe is released the thumb is in position to press down on the rod, which brings the parts to the position shown in Fig. l-that is to say, turns and locks the valves and cuts oit the air entirely and diverts it to the escape-outlet e and cuts the gas down to the smallest practical burning-current- I will detail the construction of the valves proper, whereby a certain novel and useful eit'ect is attained in their operation.

The plug of the gas-valve F, Fig. 2, has a single transverse passage; but the plug is never turned far enough to completely sluit olf the gas-current. On the contrary, a very small opening isleft, Fig. 2, to allow sufticien t gas to pass to maintain a small flame at the end ot the blow-pipe A, when not in use, so that the lamp never goes out so long as the operator has need of it. 'lo entirely cut ofi' the gas-current or to regulate the size ot' the working tlame, a separate haiul-operated valve (not shown) is employed, as usual heretol'ore, and thc same for the air-current. The size oli' the opening thus maintained through the plug ol' the gas-valve, and the consequent size oll the small igi'liting-liame, are regulated at will by adjustment ot' the collar K, which is movable on the valve-rod ll. This collar has a clamp-screw for securing it at the desired point. VWhen the rod ll descends, the collar comes in contact with the top :olf the standard (i, and thus serves as an adjustable stop or gage. As the collar 'li placed lower or higher on the rod, it is obvious the gasvalve F will be closed more or less when. the rod is pressed down. Instead of employing this collar the head or knob Z ol' the rod ll may be made vertically adjustable.

The air-vabf'e E has a two-way plug, Fig. 2, it being provided with a transverse passage through it, and another of less length arranged at an angle to it and communicating with it. An opening is formed in the rear side of the casing ot' this valve, as shown in Fig. 2, (it may be on the other side as well,) so that when the plug is turned, Fig. 2, to entirely shut ot't the air-blast from the blowpipe (when not in use) the air escapes througli said opening in the manner shown by arrows.

To recapitulate and t'nrther explain the combined operation ot' the val ves, l will state that when the rod ll is released from the spring-catch nl, and the parts are in the posi" tion shown vin Figs. il or 4f, the air and gas currents liow unimpeded through the respective valves, and a working-flame is produced' at the mouth ot the blow-pipe; but when the lamp is not required for use the rod is pressed down and locked, as shown in Figs. l or The gas-current is thus nearly cut oli, and the airblast entirely so.

The function of the air outlet or escape ais important at this juncture, since it relieves the compression of the air which would otherwise occur in the tube, and thus prevents a puff or sudden increase in the force et the blast from either causing great irregularity ot' the blast and flame or from extinguishing the tlalne altogether. \Vith such outlet for the blast,when the valve-operating' rod ll is released, the flame is not materially disturbed, but burns with the steadincss necessary li'or practical operation.

The air-valve E is made to turn faster and farther than the other one, F, and this result IIO ISO

is accomplished by reason of the difference in lengths of the valve-arms e and f, the gasvalve arm being` the longer, so that it moves through a less arc than the other, which therefore turns the pl u g E farther. (See Figs. l and Q.) plished by a differential relation in the size of the apertures in. the plugs of the respective valves-that is to say, the gas-valve opening being; made the larger or the results might be accomplished by settin the ai r-plue; ahead.

That l claim is* l. In a soldering;l apparatus, the arrangement upon the work-bench B ot the vertical standard C, havingl its upper end bent laterally to forni a support tor the blow-pipe, the Verticall'y-sliding valve-rod ll, aud the guide (t therefor, arranged close alongside and slightly in advance ot' said stand, as shown. and deseribed,wherebv the head of the Valverod in front of the "vertical bend of the stand, as shown, and for the purpose specified.

2. ln a soldering apparatus, the combination, with a \\'o1l-bencli,a hollow standard secured vertically thereto, the blow-pi11)e, the air and `gas tubes, and cut-oit valves applied to said tubes, of a spring-supported rod arranged and adapted to slide. within the said standard and connected with and operating,- the Valves, and a catch which automatically engages the rod when the latter is depressed, and therebyholds the Valves closed, as shown and described.

In a soldering apparatus of the class here` The same result might be acco1n-v inbefore speciied, the combination, with the blow-pipe, the air and gas t11bes,valves for the latter, and a vertical guide, G, of the Valverod working,` in said guide, a collar afxed to the valve-rod, and a spring-catch attached to the guide and having an inward bend or proj ection forming' a shoulder, as speciethwhereby the catch is adapted to engage with said collar when the rod is forced down, thus locking` the Valves .in the open position.

1. In a soldering apparatus of the class hereinbetore specified, the combination of the spring-catch having,l the inward bend or proj ection :t'ormi'n a shoulder, the Valve-rod having a collar which is located between its head and the `:guide in which the rod works, and is adjustable on said rod, the valves, and .air and tubes, and a blow-pipe proper with which the latter connect, as shown and described.

5. ln a blow-pipe apparatus, the combina tion,with the bench, the air-tube l and gastube 2, ol the valves E and F, having the respective arms ef, of. which thelatteris longer than the former, the connectiugdink the Vertically-sliding rod H, the standard or tubular `guide G, supported upon the bench, all as shown and described, whereby when said rod is depressed the air-valve is closed and the gas-valve but partly closed, as specied.

EDWARD B. "POWERS,

litnesses THEo. P. HALL, B. B. PIERCE. 

